The Black Sox came to SAT looking to extend their 2 game winning streak. Waiting for them, Steve Schafer's Braves.
The Braves scored 2 in the first to let the Sox know they were ready to get themselves back in the win column. Another 2 in the 2nd and 1 more in the 3rd on a towering shot by Gary Gougler to lead by 5-2. Within 3.1 innings the lead stretched to 8-2, with the Braves accumulating 11 hits. There are no easy outs in this line-up. Joe "Honey House" Hauser came into relieve and got out of the inning with no further damage. In the bottom of the 4th Stephen "Robo Man" Rychcik went yard to get the Sox back into the scoring column. Hauser shuts down the Braves in the 5th. Earl "Bulldog" Mitchell leads off the bottom of the 5th with a single, and promptly steals second base. After a strikeout, "Honey House" Hauser rips a single scoring Mitchell. The next batter reaches on an error, but it looks like the Braves have it under control after their pitcher gets his second K of the inning. "Robo Man" singles. Chuck "Chieftan" Stanley then rips a double, driving in 2 runs. 8-7 Braves. "Honey House" shuts down the Braves in order in the 6th. The Sox go quietly in their half of the inning. After giving up his only hit in relief Hauser closes out the Braves in 7th. Mark "Lighting" Lennox leads off the bottom of the 7th with a single and scores on a single by Hauser to tie it up, 8-8. After a FC and a flyout it appears we are going into extra innings. Rhychcik stings his 3rd hit of the game. With 2 on and 2 out "Chieftan" Stanley steps to plate, crack of the bat, and the ball is looking for a stewardess on this trip as it soars until it is "outta of the yard." Final score Black Sox 11 Braves 8. Credit to the Braves, great guys and a hell of a tough opponent. It was good to see Dan Maguire on the diamond, who had 2 hits and an RBI for the Braves, and Mark DeNicola chipped in with a couple of hits, including a double and 3 RBI. Hopefully our next meeting will be as exciting.
Game 2 of the day for the Black Sox was against Harold Jenkins' Cyclones.
A storm brewed as the Cyclones scored 4 runs in the first, with Dave Plew contributing a key hit for an RBI. The Sox countered with 2 in their half, and added 4 more in the second on 6 hits to take the lead. Brian Quinn singled and managed, with the help of some sloppy defense, to score for the Cyclones in the 3rd. "Bulldog" Mitchell, the starting pitcher, kept the Cyclones at bay through the 6th inning. Clinging to a 1 run lead the Sox plated 2 runs in the 5th on Greg "Don't Call Me Sprinter" Hoin's smash over the right-fielder's head. Both teams went quietly in the 6th. Mr. Moreno led off the 7th with a walk and proceeded to score on a sloppy play by the Sox, which would have embarrassed the Bad News Bears. Mitchell K'd the next Cyclone and then Don Shultis, the starting pitcher for the Cyclones, stepped to the plate and rocked a shot deep over the left centerfield fence. A walk followed by a hit put runners on 1st and 2nd for the Cyclones. Down by 1 the Cyclones looked to cause another storm. "Bulldog" Mitchell K'd the next batter and got out of the jam and got the win on a FC grounder to 3rd. A spirited game and hats off to the Cyclones who have no quit in them. Mike "Copper" Bintz had 2 doubles and 2 RBI for the Black Sox. Mitchell tossed a complete game, striking out 8, for his 2nd victory of the year.
Hats off to John Reel, Jim Konstanakis and John Kalinski for erecting the fence and prepping the field for the 3 games played at SAT. An extra thanks to Jim K. for sticking around and dragging the infield between both Black Sox games.
dbwixon
-- Edited by dbwixon on Wednesday 4th of June 2014 06:32:52 PM
-- Edited by dbwixon on Wednesday 4th of June 2014 08:58:40 PM
